Rules Committee forwards multiple advisory-board appointments to full Board; discusses translation for appeals hearings

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on Jan. 17 voted to forward multiple advisory-board nominations to the full Board of Supervisors with recommendation and discussed expanding translation access for Assessment Appeals hearings.

Walker Bass, nominated by Supervisor Cohen for the Eastern Neighborhood Citizens Advisory Committee seat representing District 10, introduced himself as a seven-year District 10 resident and cited prior experience in presidential personnel work and business-development roles. The committee moved to forward Bass’s nomination to the full Board with recommendation; the motion was seconded and advanced without opposition.

Casey Allen’s reappointment to the Bicycle Advisory Committee (a reappointment filed by Supervisor Avalos) was placed on the record in his absence. Bert Hill, chair of the Bicycle Advisory Committee, told the committee Allen “handles all of Robert’s Rules of Order,” praised his long service and recommended the reappointment. The committee moved and seconded to forward Allen’s reappointment with recommendation.

The committee heard applications for multiple seats on the Assessment Appeals Board. Applicants who addressed the committee included Joseph Tam, Mark Watts, Scott Spurtzel and Donna Crowder (for Board 1) and Joyce Lewis, Luisa Mendoza, Christine Nelson, Dan Hershkowitz and Diana Daniel (for Board 2). Candidates described experience as appraisers, hearing officers, brokers and attorneys and repeatedly emphasized the need to better educate homeowners about what evidence to bring to appeals and the timing of filings.

Dawn Duran, administrator for the Assessment Appeals Board, said the office schedules hearings five days a week with morning and afternoon sessions and that staff can refer callers to translation services but currently do not provide an on‑the‑record translator at hearings. “We have not had people ask us to provide them translators,” Duran said, adding that staff can refer requesters to outside translating services when asked.

Madam Chair and several members flagged language access as a priority. The chair said adding a checkbox for translation requests on the appeals application would help ensure residents request language support in advance. Committee members discussed the limitations of relying on family members or ad hoc interpreters for complex legal and valuation language.

On motions, the committee moved forward the following recommendations to the full Board: Walker Bass (Eastern Neighborhood CAC); Casey Allen (Bicycle Advisory Committee reappointment); Joseph Tam, Mark Watts, Scott Spurtzel and Donna Crowder (Assessment Appeals Board, Board 1 seats); and a slate for Board 2 that the committee recommended advancing to the full Board. The committee also agreed to continue the Reentry Council appointment item to allow more outreach and to give applicants time to complete their filings.

The committee convened in closed session on later agenda items 6–11. Deputy City Attorney John Givner reported after the closed session that the committee voted to forward items 6 through 11 to the full Board with recommendation and the committee then voted not to disclose the closed-session discussion. The meeting was adjourned.

What’s next: the nominees forwarded by the Rules Committee will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on Jan. 29 for final action.